Roasted Garlic Cream Pasta (Printable)

Al dente pasta tossed in a luxurious roasted garlic cream sauce, finished with freshly grated Parmesan. Comfort food perfected.

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Garlic

01 - 2 whole garlic bulbs
02 - 2 teaspoons olive oil

→ Pasta

03 - 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
04 - Salt for pasta water

→ Cream Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk
09 - 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - Pinch of nutmeg, optional

→ Garnish

13 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
14 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice tops off garlic bulbs to expose cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until soft and golden. Cool slightly, then squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins.
02 - Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
03 - Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until softened, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Mash roasted garlic into smooth paste and add to skillet, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour cream and milk into skillet, whisking to combine. Bring to gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Simmer gently until cheese melts and sauce reaches velvety consistency.
07 - Add drained pasta to sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water one splash at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Roasted garlic turns mellow and almost sweet, without any of the sharp bite that usually lingers.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta like it was meant to be there, silky and rich without feeling heavy.
  • It looks impressive enough for guests but comes together with pantry staples and minimal effort.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with just a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to life.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving pasta water, it contains starch that helps the sauce cling and emulsify instead of sliding off the noodles.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat, high temperatures make it grainy and separated instead of creamy.
  • Roasted garlic can be done a day ahead and stored in the fridge, which actually makes weeknight cooking even easier.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, it probably is, keep adding pasta water a little at a time until it loosens and coats nicely.
03 -
  • Roast extra garlic bulbs while the oven is on, you can store the cloves in olive oil in the fridge and use them in everything from sandwiches to scrambled eggs.
  • Use a pasta fork or tongs to transfer the noodles directly from the pot to the sauce, the extra water clinging to them helps create a creamier consistency.
  • Grate your Parmesan on the smallest holes of a box grater, it melts faster and more evenly than larger shreds.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing in the pasta, it should be just slightly over-seasoned because the noodles will dilute the flavor.
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